Repairing Outlook Data Files (OST) is Easy

OST files

OST (Offline Storage Table) files are Outlook Data Files, which store mailbox data of Microsoft Outlook. Their basic functionality is to provide access to Outlook emails and other mailbox items during unavailability of internet. In simple words, OST files allow you to send/receive emails and other information during offline mode. You can still work with MS Outlook if it’s not connected to the Exchange Server. That’s why OST files are also called Offline folder files.

How OST files get corrupted?

OST files get corrupted due to a lot of reasons. Virus intrusions, Exchange Server failure, hard disk failures, abrupt Outlook termination, synchronization issue between MS Outlook and Exchange Server, poor internet connectivity, sudden power failure or system shutdown etc. are some of the major reasons that can cause OST corruption. During OST corruption, you cannot access Outlook emails and other mailbox items. You need to repair corrupt OST files to restore Outlook communication.

Fix OST Corruption Manually

First, you can try fixing OST corruption manually. Microsoft provides free OST Repair Tool (Scanost.exe) to resolve OST corruption problems. But, before you run this tool, you need to check a few things like:

Check your internet connection if it’s working fine.

Search the corrupt OST file and rename it. Try opening it again with MS Outlook. If the problem is minor or with the naming of the file, it might resolve the issue.

Check if network cable, router and other hardware components are working fine.

Also ensure that there is no software failure.

You can also trying resolving the issue by creating a new Outlook profile. Delete the current Outlook profile and replace it with the new one. You can create a new Outlook profile from Control Panel of your system.

If the error persists, use Scanost.exe utility. However, the utility has its own limitations. It can repair OST files with minor corruptions only. Using Scanost.exe involves numerous steps and it can lead to data loss as well. Data recovery experts do not really recommend the use of OST Repair Tool because of same sort of reasons.

However, if you still want to give it a shot, here is the default location of the tool - C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE (version of Outlook).

Third-party solution

If you’re looking for a reliable and convenient option, then using a professional third-party tool is the best option. OST to PST recovery is the prominent tool for this purpose. It easily makes corrupt OST files accessible by repairing and converting them to Outlook PST format. It’s easy to operate and cost-effective.

OST Repair Tool

OST Repair tool is a rarely advanced tool with extraordinary data recovery features. The tool deals with all kinds of OST corruption issues effectively. It easily repairs and converts corrupt OST files to PST format in almost no time. Apart from PST, the tool provides multiple saving options such as:

Apart from saving options, the tool offers some other interesting features as well. Let’s have a look at them:

Complete recovery of all mailbox items from corrupt OST files

Search option to locate particular items

Preview of repaired OST files

Easy recovery of large size OST files

Recovery of all email properties (to, from, cc, bcc, subject, time and date)

Compatible with all latest and older versions of MS Outlook, MS Exchange Server and Windows OS

Offers user-friendly interface and features

Free trial version

A free demo version of the OST Repair tool is also available. It gives an idea about the software’s functionality. Simply download it and start using it. However, to save repaired OST files at desired location, you need to purchase the software.

The tool has been applauded by clients across the globe for its extraordinary features, cost-effectiveness and easy interface. Let’s see what clients say about the tool.